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Cards get to deal with DH-less Red Sox lineup

Cards get to deal with DH-less Red Sox lineup

10/24/13: Manager John Farrell talks about how the Red Sox won't put Mike Napoli at catcher in St. Louis and that he or David Ortiz will sit

By Jenifer Langosch, Adam McCalvy and Chad Thornburg
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MLB.com |

ST. LOUIS -- As the World Series shifts to Busch Stadium, playing from the comforts of their home ballpark presents more than just a friendly crowd and a familiar setting for the Cardinals.

The change of venue also accompanies a change of rules, as the designated hitter vanishes in the National League park, forcing the Red Sox to move one of their better hitters -- either Mike Napoli or David Ortiz -- to the bench for Games 3, 4 and 5.

Boston manager John Farrell said that while in St. Louis, it is unlikely his club will field any starting lineup that features both.

"The one outside view might be to put Mike Napoli behind the plate, but we wouldn't do that," Farrell said. "One or the other is going to sit, unfortunately."

Farrell said Ortiz -- who is 4-for-6 with two homers, five RBIs and a walk in the series -- will start at first base in Game 3, with Napoli (who came up as a catcher with the Angels in 2006) coming off the bench. Napoli was 1-for-7 in Games 1 and 2, but replacing a middle-of-the-lineup hitter with a pitcher will nonetheless be a blow to the Red Sox's offense.

"Every single hitter in this lineup is very, very dangerous, from top to bottom," said Cards Game 3 starter Joe Kelly. "I don't know how well their pitchers hit, but you obviously can't take anybody lightly. So I wouldn't say I'm happy that one of them is not going to be in the lineup, but it definitely probably takes a little bit off their very, very powerful lineup, just power-wise."